"It is not sufficient for us to study the most excellent things unless we do it in the most excellent of manners.....and that is impossible to find till we are guided there unto by the most excellent end."
___ Thomas Traherne, Centuries
It is no good expecting that we will be improved by our researches unless our subject is near to our hearts. If study is motivated by anything except the heart, a good deal of resentment and impatience will enter into our work. Each field of knowledge has its own pathways and natural growths. If we approach an unknown field with respect and set ourselves to discover where those paths lead us, we may discover some interesting things. Study is not a one-way street, however; as we direct our attention toward the object of our study, so too will something come back toward us, meeting and melding with knowledge that we already have, creating a new synthesis of understanding.
Our 'most excellent end' - that is, the intentions that underlie our study - is critical. Most of us study to improve our condition in some way, to find a more remunerative job, to extend our horizons, to train in a skill or interest that we already enjoy, to catch up with education that we failed to receive when we were younger. Whatever our intention, the most important factor is how our soul and integrity are involved.
"What part does your study or work play in the greater continuum of life? What does it contribute? What do you receive in exchange?"
[From: The Celtic Spirit by Caitlin Matthews]
No comments:
Post a Comment